Pre-Match Preview: With the opening game of India's Test tour of England set for June 20, 2025, the cricket world focuses its attention to Headingley. Both teams have tremendous momentum going into the match.
With recent decisive victories over elite teams like Australia and New Zealand, India in particular is on a five-match winning streak. In their most recent victory, they defeated New Zealand by chasing down 252 with four wickets remaining. England, on the other hand, is equally powerful and has won five straight, including two significant victories against the West Indies. Despite losing previously, they recovered swiftly, scoring 248/3 in their most recent match. Both teams have interesting new players and seasoned core players, so the first Test should be an exciting matchup.
The Headingley pitch's grass cover and humid English conditions are known to help fast bowlers early in the game. Seam and swing are prominent features during the first two days, giving fast bowlers an upper hand. The pitch tends to flatten down as the game goes on, giving batters more freedom to play their shots. Spinners may come into play on Day 4 and 5 as footmarks and cracks begin to influence bounce and turn. Captains winning the toss often opt to bowl first here to exploit the early moisture.
Joe Root:
One of the most notable names in world cricket is Joe Root. He is one of England's most dependable player of england, Joe Root has built a remarkable Test career, amassing 13,006 runs at an exceptional average of 50.80 across 153 matches, highlighted by 36 centuries and 65 half-centuries—cementing his status as one of the game's modern batting greats. He is England's mainstay in the batting order due to his skill, versatility, and temperament, particularly at home.
Ravindra Jadeja:
He is incredibly valuable with the bat and the ball. Jadeja has claimed 323 wickets in 80 Test matches with an economy rate of just 2.53 and an average of 24.14. His greatest bowling stats of 7/42 show that he has a tendency to run through batting lineups. Ravindra Jadeja stands out as a vital asset for India. His all-round capabilities make him a key figure in India's strategy for this high-stakes match.
Both teams have no reported injury concerns heading into the first Test. With fully fit squads and a high-stakes start to the series, both captains are expected to field their strongest possible XIs.
India Predicted XI:
KL Rahul (WK), Shubman Gill (C), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja, Karun Nair, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna
England Predicted XI:
Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (C), Jamie Smith (WK), Chris Woakes, Shoaib Bashir, Josh Tongue, Brydon Carse
Both teams come into this match with strong momentum. India's recent victories in challenging international conditions demonstrate their increased versatility, while England will feel secure playing at home. It is anticipated that the game will be fiercely contested, with bowlers most likely determining the result. India's pace unit and Jadeja's all-round capabilities give them a strong chance, but England's batting depth and familiarity with the conditions may tilt the scales in their favor.
At Headingley, the overhead conditions often determine the early advantage. The team that wins the toss is likely to opt to bowl first to exploit early swing and seam movement, particularly during the morning session of Day 1.
Although India is in sublime form, England's home advantage and depth in both batting and bowling slightly favor them. Joe Root’s experience and the all-round strength led by Ben Stokes make them formidable at Leeds. India must strike early with the ball to shift the balance.
Predicted Winner: England
Today Cricket Match Winning Percentage: 55% England – 45% India
Key Factor: England's familiarity with Headingley conditions and Joe Root's consistency.
Wicket-Keeper: R Pant
Batters: J Root (C), B Duckett, Y Jaiswal, L Rahul, S Sudharsan
All-Rounders: B Stokes (VC), R Jadeja
Bowlers: J Bethell, J Bumrah, C Woakes
Wicket-Keeper: R Pant (8.5 Cr)
Batters: J Root (9 Cr), B Duckett (8.5 Cr), Y Jaiswal (8.5 Cr), H Brook (8 Cr)
All-Rounders: R Jadeja (8 Cr), S Thakur (7.5 Cr), J Bethell (6.5 Cr)
Bowlers: J Bumrah (9 Cr), C Woakes (8 Cr), B Carse (7 Cr)
Captain: J Root (9 Cr), Vice Captain: J Bumrah (9 Cr)
Rank | Player | Runs |
---|---|---|
1 |
![]() |
12972 |
2 |
![]() |
9999 |
3 |
![]() |
9282 |
4 |
![]() |
9276 |
5 |
![]() |
9230 |
Rank | Player | Runs |
---|---|---|
1 |
![]() |
16056 |
2 |
![]() |
13537 |
3 |
![]() |
12255 |
4 |
![]() |
11832 |
5 |
![]() |
10448 |
Rank | Player | Runs |
---|---|---|
1 |
![]() |
242 |
2 |
![]() |
221 |
3 |
![]() |
207 |
4 |
![]() |
195 |
5 |
![]() |
163 |
Rank | Player | Runs |
---|---|---|
1 |
![]() |
12 |
2 |
![]() |
8 |
3 |
![]() |
8 |
4 |
![]() |
6 |
5 |
![]() |
6 |
Rank | Player | Runs |
---|---|---|
1 |
![]() |
13906 |
2 |
![]() |
10866 |
3 |
![]() |
10480 |
4 |
![]() |
8607 |
5 |
![]() |
8113 |
Rank | Player | Runs |
---|---|---|
1 |
![]() |
9373 |
2 |
![]() |
8973 |
3 |
![]() |
7936 |
4 |
![]() |
7448 |
5 |
![]() |
7214 |
Rank | Player | Runs |
---|---|---|
1 |
![]() |
242 |
2 |
![]() |
221 |
3 |
![]() |
206 |
4 |
![]() |
152 |
5 |
![]() |
142 |
Rank | Player | Runs |
---|---|---|
1 |
![]() |
50 |
2 |
![]() |
19 |
3 |
![]() |
18 |
4 |
![]() |
15 |
5 |
![]() |
11 |
Rank | Player | Runs |
---|---|---|
1 |
![]() |
4231 |
2 |
![]() |
4223 |
3 |
![]() |
4188 |
4 |
![]() |
3911 |
5 |
![]() |
3777 |
Rank | Player | Runs |
---|---|---|
1 |
![]() |
3671 |
2 |
![]() |
3301 |
3 |
![]() |
3237 |
4 |
![]() |
3144 |
5 |
![]() |
2854 |
Rank | Player | Runs |
---|---|---|
1 |
![]() |
84 |
2 |
![]() |
82 |
3 |
![]() |
75 |
4 |
![]() |
74 |
5 |
![]() |
73 |
Rank | Player | Runs |
---|---|---|
1 |
![]() |
20 |
2 |
![]() |
17 |
3 |
![]() |
16 |
4 |
![]() |
15 |
5 |
![]() |
14 |